NBCU, Sky unify advanced advertising offerings under AdSmart

NBC Universal (NBCU) is rolling its Audience Studio targeting solution into Sky’s addressable advertising suite AdSmart.

The combined global offering, still named AdSmart, marks the first joint advertising initiative since Comcast bought Sky in September 2018. Comcast has owned NBCU since 2011.

Linda Yaccarino, chairman of advertising and partnership at NBCU, said: “The world is getting smaller, and the opportunity for international marketers to make an impact with consumers is getting bigger. The industry has demanded a global premium video offering, and now, one will finally exist. NBC Universal and Sky are committed to setting the highest possible standards and transforming the ad experience. Bringing our advanced advertising solutions under one global structure is the first step in our journey.”

Now entrenched in European and American markets, AdSmart is set to leverage set-top box data from over 50m households.

Andrew Griffith, Sky’s group chief operating officer, said: “Over the years, Sky has built a suite of advanced advertising tools, and we’re excited to share them with international marketers in the United States. Together with NBC Universal we’re launching a global product unlike anything the market has seen before, that combines the quality and reach of TV with best-in-class addressability.”

Within the AdSmart offering, NBCU will also be launching an AI-powered contextual media planning tool for TV. It will place ads alongside relevant US programming to “enhance ad effectiveness and give consumers a more organic viewing experience,” according to the company.

UK-based Sky has been expanding its AdSmart offering. It began a cross-European roll out of its addressable TV service in March 2017.

Source: The Drum

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